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Bird's-eye view of Israeli couscous with chicken and peas, topped with lemon wedges, Parmesan shavings, and scallion slices.

Israeli Couscous with Chicken and Peas

Toasted pearl couscous simmered in lemon chicken broth with Parmesan, peas, and shredded chicken.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Mediterranean
Calories: 500
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 1/3 cups Israeli (pearl) couscous
  • 2 ½ cups chicken broth
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons lemon zest zest from 1 to 2 large lemons *See Notes below
  • Juice from 1 large lemon about ¼ cup
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ to ¾ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus extra for serving
  • 4 scallions finely sliced including both white and green parts
  • 1 cup frozen peas thawed for about an hour before cooking this recipe
  • 2 cups shredded and chopped cooked chicken rotisserie cooked or other cooking method

Method
 

  1. Toast couscous:

    Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add couscous and stir frequently until lightly toasted, about 2 to 3 minutes.

  2. Simmer couscous:

    Pour in chicken broth, add lemon zest, lemon juice, salt, and pepper; stir to blend. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to medium-low and simmer until couscous is al dente, roughly 8 minutes. (Some liquid should remain for the sauce.)

  3. Mix in ingredients:

    Mix in ½ cup Parmesan cheese, scallions, peas, and chicken until thoroughly combined. If the sauce appears too thin, incorporate an additional ¼ cup Parmesan cheese.

  4. Serve with Parmesan:

    Serve right away, topping with extra grated Parmesan cheese if desired.

Notes

*See Notes below: Use zest from 1 to 2 large lemons.